Trencin is considered to be the most beautiful place in Slovakia. The citizens of Trencin are of the same opinion. And they are right. Trencin is situated in a picturesque place on the bank of the Vag river where the settlements have been since the Stone Age. The citizens of Trencin are especially proud of the fact that Trencin was first mentioned in the documents of 179 A.D. It was an inscription made by the Rome legionaries to commemorate the victory over German tribes.
The symbol of the place is the Trencin Castle or Chack’s Citadel. It is a typical middle- aged fortress dominating above the city streets like a flying island Laputu from the book about Gulliver’s adventuries. Trencin Castle is one of the oldest in Slovakia. The first mentioning of it in chronicles was in the 11th century – 100 years before the city appeared. In the past the castle was known as the residence of the Hungarian dignitary Matush Chack, who during the period of 1302- 1321 was considered to be the sole master of Slovakia. In 1790 the Castle was seriously damaged by fire. Half of Trencin was destroyed that time.
Besides the Trencin Castle there are some picturesque places which are interesting to visit. Among them such places should be mentioned as the Abbey and the Church, the Cathedral in Matushov street and the town gates of the 16th century, which are near the central square of the town which is called Miyrove Nam.
There is a “gloomy” sight in Miyrove Nam which is called plague pole, erected at the beginning of the 18th century to commemorate the victims of plague epidemic. The other “gloomy” sight of Trencin is the Executioner’s House of the 17th century which is very popular among the tourists.
Trencin is a small place, and one day will be enough to see the sights of it. But if you have some more free time you may visit Trencin Teplitse. It is one of the most famous spa resorts of Slovakia, because of its warm sulphuretted hydrogen springs and Turkish baths which were built in the 16th century and restored at the end of the 19th century. They are open for visitors nowadays.
